Moonahcullah

As settlement impacted the Wemba Wemba people in the Victorian era, many found refuge in the Werai forests. In the late 1870s some 80 Aboriginal people moved to missions and reserves in the surrounding area, particularly at Moonahcullah. It’s also possible that many Indigenous people moved there from the Lake Boga Mission, a Moravian ministry which had been working amongst the Wemba-Wemba, as it had closed in 1851.

Moonahcullah was formally established in 1916, 40 kilometres North West of Deniliquin. However there were certainly missionaries living with the people there much earlier, such as Miss Crebbin and Miss Bagnall. These women were known to have lived in a tent, 18 feet by 18 feet. Though the Wemba Wemba, by this time, had been making successful mudbrick dwellings. In 1912 there was, evidently, a Sunday School with 12 children and morning congregation of 90 local indigenous people.

Some knew Moonahcullah to be a place of joy. A Mr Long was able to report on a meeting in someone’s home, and said “The singing, full of life, was splendid. I simply listened as the people sang with all their hearts the songs of Zion”. 1 The national-profile leader, Pastor Doug Nicholls is known to have visited there, playing his songs and preaching sermons. 2

It seems Moonahcullah was also a place to which authorities could send aboriginal children who were a problem to them. One such person is Aunty Nance. As a small child, she would not cooperate with white leadership at Cootamundra. Sent to live amongst the Indigenous families at Moonahcullah in, perhaps, 1944, she settled well. Eventually, the station managers wife was able to report that, “Nancy has calmed down… She told me the other day that she likes Moonahcullah. She will do anything in the house or for the women’s meeting. But she won’t do a thing in the [white] homes she has been in …. Funny girl, but I rather like her. 3

Nance’s memories of that time give a picture of what life was like on the mission.

Living with an [Aboriginal family] was wonderful. We were really happy, you know? The manager would ring the bell on the mission for us all to go the school and we’d all run the other way. It was a wonderful life … I think it was there that my soul began to heal from the anguish and unhappiness I’d experienced up to that point. For the first time I saw Aboriginal people living off the land and hunting and fishing. I ate bush foods like Murray cod and emu and kangaroo cooked in the traditional way.

According to Aboriginal Education within the NSW Board of Studies, the Mission School was established in Moonahcullah in 1911, by the missionaries. 4 Margaret Tucker, who had visited Moonahcullah recalled the missionary teachers’ encouragement of students and learning about music and sport. 5

It seems, for many Moonahcullah was a happy place. Though also a location of trauma. It’s the community where, quite famously, Margaret Tucker was living when she was taken by police to Cootamundra. It was a place where Christianity seemed to take root. But one where the people’s ancient knowledge of God was also proudly known. Margaret Tucker recalled Nkuppa Taylor speaking with the Sunday school teacher at Moonacullah:

…old Nkuppa said half in the language and half in English, ‘Do you know we had the Good Spirit a long time before you white people came here? The Good Spirit is everywhere. We know Him long before you white people come, everywhere in the bush He live, Him Good Spirit. 6

By 1913, the school had an Aboriginal teacher, John Lewis. Oddly, he took an elitist approach, evident in his reports to the Education Inspector, and managed to alienate some of his students. Margaret Tucker recalled:

After the missionary ladies left Moonahcullah we had a crippled part-Aboriginal teacher. He was a proud man, and would not mix with the other Aboriginal people on the Settlement…Our people didn’t like him either… His wife and children were friendly though, and one of the step-daughters about my age would sneak down at times to hear my mother telling us stories at night… Later, at Moonahcullah Mrs Hill was our teacher… 7

The Aboriginal people in Deniliquin today comes from the descendants of those 80 people. 8

Thanks for the correction, Stewart. And thanks for taking time to talk to my project partner, Steve Atkinson. Let me assure you, we only ever publish material where we either explicitly have permission of representatives of the community involved, or we draw on publicly available information which we can provide a reference for. All the same, we’ve taken on the concerns of your family and made some small edits to the article above. Please let us know if there’s anything you’d like added from your knowledge of the Moonacullah experience.

Dear Stewart, my name is Lyn Chaikin and I am a niece of Vern Page who used to be a lay preacher at Moonaculla. In 1951 I used to go out to Moonaculla with Uncle Vern and Auntie Jean and I used to play with Adelaide Taylor. She was about my age and I felt very sad when I left Deniliquin because I thought that Adelaide was a most wonderful friend. (she was also very pretty) I have often wondered what happened to Adelaide and what she did during her life. It was wonderful playing outside the church and rushing in with Adelaide when a baby was christened. We really loved new babies. Her parents were lovely too. I also remember the Briggs family. I do hope that Adelaide is OK and that she has had a contented life. Is there anyone who could tell me how to contact her or give her my fondest love.

Adelaide, or to be respectful to Elders, Aunty Adelaide is still in Deni and strange that you say you remember the Briggs family also as she lives next door to Uncle Leo and Aunty Maureen Briggs.
I will pass on a message for you that you are thinking of her and see if it is possible to get some contact information for you so you can catch up with your old friend.

Dear Stephen, it is so great getting replies. I live up in the Port Stephens near a little town called Tea Gardens, but I will be passing through Deniliquin next year, so I would love to see Adelaide, or Aunty Adelaide. It was great playing with her outside the church and just putting our heads in the door occasionally. It is funny how vivid our childhood memories are. Please give Adelaide my love. She probably would not remember me but I can really picture here very well because I loved her wavy hair and big smile.

Well, thanks again for replying.
My phone number is 02-971148
OR o409661924

Take Care,
LYN (Chaikin)
My mother was Dulcie Page and she was Vern’s sister.

G’day Lyn
As Stephen said Auntie Adelaide has shifted back to Deni.
Which Briggs family do you remember?
Where do you live now?
I remember your Auntie and Uncle and the sing alongs at my Uncle and Aunties house in Finley rd (The Day residence)
I also remember them taking alot of photos and movie footage of theses events amongst other events and was wondering if you knew where this material has ended up?
I also will pass on your regards to Auntie Adelaide as I will see her this weekend
You could also ring the Deni Land council and leave your contact details there for her

Dear Stewart,
I am so happy that you replied and I am wondering if Aunty Adelaide remembers me. We were so little. I was about seven at the time. I think that it was about 1951. I think that it may have been May Briggs who used to come over on the boat to get us sometimes, but I may be wrong. I am not aware of any film which Uncle Vern may have had. I will ask my remaining Aunty who is 96. She has a very good memory. Thanks again Stewart for replying. I will go to Deniliquin next year and try to look up Adelaide. I remember that she was very pretty and very smart. AND her hair was wavy.

Thanks and Good Cheer
LYN CHAIKIN
(niece of Vern and Jean Page)
0409661924

Hello my name is Alinta and my family and I are wanting to know stuff about culture our family history and living. My sisters and I are from Deniliquin NSW and our Grandmother was Gladys Day but she originally comes from the Terrick family.. If that’s how you spell it.. My sisters and I have been told we are from The Wemba Wemba/ Wiradjuri tribe.
We herd this from our mother Anita Baxter.. But lately we’ve been told all stories so we don’t know what’s going on lol.. My sisters and I are just wanting to know who we belong to and a bit about our family history <333

Can any one help?

Our nan is Hilda/ Faye Baxter- married name her last name on her mothers side is Day

Our Great Granmother is Gladys Day- married name but Terrick is her real last name.. We don't know if this is from her mothers side or fathers side.. Sorry

Hi Alinta – good questions. One thing we know for sure is your name is Yorta Yorta, it means the flickering flame. The family names of “Day” and “Terrick” are well known as Indigenous families, the name “Terrick” however is more closely associated with the Wurundjeri-speaking people of the Kulin nation, which takes you back to the famous ones like Simon Wonga and William Barak. We’ll do a bit more digging around for you and get to your specific questions. Stand by.

My name is Stephen Atkinson and I believe we have met a few times.
This is what I have heard and know from my family Genealogy.
As far as I know your G Grandmother Gladys Day, nee Jones, is the daughter of my Grandmothers Brother, Billy Jones, or Killer Jones as he was known. My Grandmother was Edna Atkinson, nee Jones.
I do not know her Mothers side but can give you what I know of her Fathers side.
Nan and Uncle Billy’s Mother was a woman by the name of Ivy Mullins, born Mary Anne Ivy Maude Mullins, my fathers Grandmother, who can be found on the register of the Warangesda Mission at Darlington Point. Her Father was Robert Mullins and her Mother was Lena Howell.

Here is an extract from the book ‘The Camp of Mercy’ which has our family history.

Nan Ivy married or had children to a man of Jewish decent who we know as Issac Jones. Jones wasn’t his real surname unfortunately, he changed his name to sound more Australian, so he is very hard to trace. Issac Jones was a Bullock train driver who serviced the different stations around Deniliquin and surrounding areas.

Hopefully I will see you in Deni some time and can try to explain things in more detail. If you see me please come up and have a yarn.
In the mean time I will try to find more information for you.

Hello thank you for the reply i have just seen this I am so great-full for your response
Its strange because i am driven so soul-fully as I’m getting older lol
I want to know so i can tell my children where their from )

Hi Stephen, my GGrandfather was John Howell, John married Harriet Bamblett. John Howell was also born on Tubbo Station. I think i read once that Lena and John were cousins, do you know anything about a John Howell please?

my name is Elsie Lavienia Carter, I was born in Deniliquin 1957, my mothers name is Sarah Kathleen Terrick [ deceased] born in Healesville Vic my fathers name is Edward [Ted] Carter, born in Echuca Vic. Gladys Day is my mothers step sister, we call her aunty Glad, she had 2 x brother uncle George and Ralph Day that I know of.

My fathers mother was Janet Cooper, William Coopers daughter, as a child I remember Moonacullah mission, we used to stay there sometimes with my mother and aunty Glad, I remember we had a uncle Andrew also.

the name Baxter rings a bell, I was very young, probably 3 or 5 years old, at the time we lived in Darlington Point, my elder brothers & sister would remember them all. I would love to know what clan I am related too, I only know that I am Wiradjuri, of Yorta Yorta decent, excuse my ignorance, but I think we are related. I have relations in Echuca, from uncle Splinter & aunty Ester, cousins are Tony Phillip, Kenny, Leigh, and the younger one, I have forgotten her name… any information I can get regarding clan names in Moona would be much appreciated as I do not have much talking with family in the Point. thank you Elsie

Hi there, I am trying to find out any info regarding my Great Grandmother who I have been told by aunts and uncles was an Aboriginal woman by the name of Maggie Rose Taylor could be Margaret? I have been searching for almost two years now with no strong findings?? My recent find was a Margaret (maggie) Taylor marriage to a William Briggs- Maggie being ex Wemba Wemba tribe? Another finding was on an index of NSW births deaths and marriages of an (Old) Maggie aboriginal of Barmah and passing away in Moama NSW 1908? If anyone could assist me with any info or leads it would be of the utmost gratitude! I am doing this family research on behalf of my huge family here on the Tweed Coast NSW! The only other piece of info I have been given is that she could have also grown up on Yellow Rock Mission which is in the Coffs Harbour region but to me that seems like a fair distance between Moonahcullah and Coffs?? Cheers
Alicia

Just looking at my family tree, and I have Margaret (Maggie) Taylor on my family tree married to a William Briggs, Margaret is my 3rd Great Grandmother. My 2nd Great Grandmother was Ellen (Nellie) Briggs. Love to hear more.

hello Stephen, my name is brian mogliotti, my mother is Freda bell,my grandmother is amy Phyllis bell [nee mullins] the daughter of Arthur Edward mullins and bettsy ingram, arthurs father was Robert mullins who married amy lena howell, it would seem we may be related? would you have any information that may assist me in my family tree?thanks.brian

Hello, I’ve recently purchased the home of my great Aunt, Cora Gilsenan Waters (who passed away at 100 years old earlier this year) in Metung, East Gippsland, Victoria. The property sits on Chinamens Creek in Metung & is called Moonah Cullah. Cora & her father before her were well know & regarded friends of the Aboriginal people of the area, especially from Lake Tyers. We’ve no idea why she called her home Moonah Cullah, so wondering if anyone has a memory of her, or knows of any connection.
Many thanks,
Susan

Can any one help me find info of my Great Grandmother please. Her name. Emily Sampson/ Porter also my Grandmother Agnes May Slater – sent as. Servant to a property in Bulga in Hunter.Also taken away from Walhallow Aboriginal Station / Caroona mission. Nsw. Emily Sampson was in AIM magazine 1945 -winning a prize in recent show.any info could help. Thanks. Vicky Slater

Hello, my sister and I are researching our family tree but we are stuck, our Great Grandfather was John Galway, he married Lillian Alice Robinson in 1886.We have been able to trace the Galway family without any trouble, but we are stuck on the Robinson side.
I know Alice Robinson and Edgar Robinson were Lillian’s parents and that Alice (Granny) Robinson ( sometimes reffered to as Granny Robertson) died at Moonah Cullah in 1939 (AIM magazine) but we have no information about Edgar Robinson, if anyone could help we would be very grateful.

My name is Sharon Bell my father is Ernest James Bell,, he’s parents were William Vincent Bell and Amy Phyllis Bell (nee Mullins).. my GRANDMOTHER’S parents were Arthur Edward Mullins and Bettsy Mullins (nee Ingram).. my Great Grandfather was Robert Mullins and Great Grandmother Lena Amy Howell (Warangesda) If anyone has information or a connection could you please leave a message on here for me, thanks

Hi Sharon. first of all hello young cousin, I am Peggy (Mullins) Swindle’s son my mum was,is, your grandmothers sister, there is a lot of information going around about our family history and I think we should try and get some family members together to try and sort it all out I can give you some information on our family if you would like contact me, I am on Facebook, but I would like to keep family matters a little more personal

Hello again, since my last post looking for Alice( Granny Robinson) and Edgar Robinson, I have located Alice and Edgar’s death certificates Alice’s fathers name was ‘Cocky’ and her mothers name was ‘Jean’ and she was born at Perricoota station NSW. Their children were Lillian and Maggie but no other information is on the death certificate there is no surname for Alice’s parents although we are led to believe it was ‘Donahue’. Edgar died at Moonah Cullah also, on 26th January 1923, on the death certificate it says parents unknown:-( as before any information about him would be invaluable to us.
I am now also looking for Maggie maiden name Robinson, Alice and Edgar’s other daughter and any information on ‘Cocky’ and ‘Jean’
The only other information I have found is that Alice and Edgar were married at Healesville Victoria no date found.

If anyone can help me with any answers, I would be very grateful.
Thanks for your time reading this post.
Many Thanks,
Deb O’Grady

Hi guys I work at yarkuwa indigenous knowledge centre here in Deniliquin. we have photos and historical information of Aboriginal families from here in Deniliquin such as ( Briggs,Clements,Day’s,Edward’s,Sampson’s,Ingram’s,Ross’s,Smith’s,Terrick’s,Hamilton’s,Morgan’s and Jones’s ).
Photos and information dated back from 1956 and earlier. my email is leetoya.lewis@yarkuwa.com email me if you have any questions we would love to help you out.

Hello, I was wondering if anyone in the Deniliquin area may have remembered an Aboriginal Artist from Western Australia by the name of Revel Cooper who travelled through and apparently stayed with Arthur back around the late seventies to early eighties (possibly earlier) after doing some time at French Island Prison. Many apologies for the lack of information as it is a reflection of my desperation. Where might I get information on this if there were a slight chance. Kind Regards, Michael Liu

Hi I have only recently come across this thread while researching my family history. Im seeking information on Granny Robinson and her daughter Lillian. If anyone is able to hopefully help me Id be most appreciative. My email is vizwiz31@gmail.com

Hi Sandra & Deborah, you should make contact with Ron Galway who lives in Barham NSW. Galway Family are well known around Barham NSW, my Mum was born in Barham & her best friend was ‘Chudda Galway’, this was back in the early 30′s. Good Luck, Karen. If you need any help with this, my email is karen.mobourne@gmail.com

Mum lived at Moonahucullah from 1952 til she was about 13 (1965) and Moved to Shepparton.

I’m just trying to find some photos for her and wondering if anyone can help?
I uset to go to Moona in the early 70s and 80s when I was a young boy with Mum and Dad and stay every few weekends. Cant remember a lot other then everyone been so nice. Been a long time since I’ve been back. Hard for mum to return seen all her brothers and sisters are gone. So any support would be awesome.

Thinking of coming up at some point before I head south and visiting nan and pa’s grave.

Does anyone here know of the Aboriginal people from Marra Creek? I have an ancestor who worked on Tubbo Station and on her deathbed insisted on stating she was from that area. Was there a mission there? Who were the local people there?

Moonahcullah Story, terrific insight for my family history research.
My grandfather Tom COX, born 1908, near Deniliquin, with no birth or other records, declared himself an orphan.
Tom had the colouring of a ‘half caste’, with a family suspicion his mother was a local aboriginal woman.
Where may I find or possibly access any records of ‘moonahcullah mission residents’, or whom may I possible best ask to look for a young Tom among these type of records?
Tom will have been 13 in 1921, and may have left the mission per the ‘Half Caste Act’.
Similarly COX may be an adoptive name, for his first employers ?
Any assistance tracking a young Tom early last century is appreciated

Hello,
We have been trying to find information about my grandmothers father. My grandmothers name was Edith Malcolm and she was born in Deniliquin in 1906. Her mothers name was Alice Malcom but the fathers name on my grandmothers birth certificate simply reads “Buchanan”. Any information would be helpful.

Hello all, just found this site. My granddaughter of Lorna Sampson (daughter of Thomas Sampson and Lily Rose Williams – Quirindi) I would love to connect with family, we are cousins with Porters/Slaters too and the Leons:)
My great grandfather Thomas Sampson died when my nan was only very young, I would like to know more about his side of the family though. Please feel free to get in touch